DeKALB, Ill. — A massive hailstone recovered from the March 10 storms in Kankakee could set a new Illinois state record, following analysis by researchers at NIU.
NIU meteorologist Victor Gensini compared the hailstone recovered from March 10 storms in Kankakee to the size of a mini Nerf football.
During a March 17 press event on campus, NIU meteorologist Victor Gensini and scientists from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) examined and documented several large hailstones collected by area residents. Among them was a standout specimen measuring 6.6 inches in maximum dimension and weighing 19.65 ounces — significantly larger than the current state record of 4.75 inches set in 2015.
“This is about the size of a mini Nerf football — quite remarkable,” Gensini said.
If verified, the hailstone would become the largest recorded in Illinois and potentially the largest observed in the state since record-keeping began in the mid-20th century. Official confirmation will require review through established verification processes.
The hail was produced by a powerful supercell thunderstorm that swept through northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, generating multiple tornadoes and widespread damage. Reports of unusually large hail quickly surfaced across the region following the storm.
At NIU, researchers conducted detailed measurements and 3-D scans of the hailstones as part of the verification process. The stones were preserved by local families, including one from Kankakee, allowing scientists to study them before melting.
Gensini, a leading expert in severe weather and hailstorms, has spent more than a decade researching the formation, frequency and impacts of hail.
At NIU, researchers conducted detailed measurements and 3-D scans of the hailstones as part of the verification process.
As director of NIU’s Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Convective Storms, he has led and contributed to major national research efforts, including large-scale field campaigns collecting thousands of hail samples.
Among those efforts, ICECHIP — the largest hail study ever — brought together more than 100 scientists and students from across the country and beyond to document and analyze hailstorms.
His work aims to improve forecasting, better understand storm behavior and reduce the costly impacts of severe weather.
Research from Gensini and colleagues suggests that large hail events may become more common in the future, as changing atmospheric conditions contribute to stronger storms capable of producing larger hailstones.
“We are dedicated to continued monitoring of these extreme hail events due to their significant economic impact,” Gensini said.
Lucas Faulkner and Brenna Meisenzahl, both representing IBHS, assisted Professor Gensini in weighing and measuring the stone.
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, an independent nonprofit research organization supported by the insurance industry, partners with scientists to study hail both in the field and in laboratory settings.
While tornadoes often draw the most attention, hail remains one of the costliest thunderstorm hazards in the United States, causing billions of dollars in damage each year to homes, vehicles and businesses.
Events like the March 10 storm provide critical opportunities for researchers to better understand how and why extreme hail forms and how communities can better prepare for it.
Media can access video and photos from the NIU event here:
NIU Image Library
Media Contact: Jami Kunzer
About NIU
Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. The Wall Street Journal and CollegeNET recognize NIU as a leading institution for social mobility, or helping its students climb the socioeconomic ladder. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Naperville and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 areas of study while serving a diverse and international student body.
